Three-way targets cellphone parts market

TI, NEC and Matsushita are in talks about pooling their plans for W-CDMA 3G phone chips.

According to Reuters, Matsushita, which owns the Panasonic brand, and NEC confirmed the talks today. The trio aims to get a factory building the parts up and running as early as the summer according to reports. The three will also collaborate on software.

TI yesterday sponsored a panel discussion at CTIA in Las Vegas identifying the growth markets for cellphones in coming years. The key groups, the firm said, were emerging markets where traditional wire comms were limited. The second key group is what the firm dubbed generation Y (awn?), which consists of those aged between five and 20, who, according to TI, have never know a world without cellphones.

TI boss Rich Templeton told the conference that "No doubt, traditional boundaries no longer exist in wireless, and we are experiencing an exciting collaboration among leaders from inside and outside this industry who are working together to deliver mobile applications and services that truly capture the lifestyles and imaginations of tomorrow's consumer." Whatever could he mean by that?®